as a bit of gymnastics
rather than of practical value; but smartness in the delivery of a
thrust was just everything now. In civilised warfare it may be that
bayonets are seldom crossed, but when you have to deal with a barbarian
foe, who places his trust in cold steel, the case is different. For the
first thrust perhaps the bayonet has the advantage, for the weight of
the rifle behind it sends it very quick and true, and difficult to
parry. But the point once turned or avoided, the spear gets the pull,
as, by drawing back the hand which holds it, the point can be withdrawn
to the shoulder, and launched, without a chance of parrying, at any
unguarded spot.

True, that the English soldier can also shorten arms, but it takes both
hands to do that, and in the meantime the whole body is exposed; while
the Arab shortens his spear with the right-hand alone, and the left arm,
with a round shield of hippopotamus hide upon it, can be used to put
aside the bayonet thrust. Unless wounded to death, they fight on when
they have fallen, clutching at their enemies' legs, stabbing while they
can hold a weapon.

Such struggling as this caused the advance of the square to be very
slow, for those portions of the front line which had no obstacles to
enable the enemy to get amongst them had to wait while the men engaged
in these single combats despatched their foes and were ready to advance
again. Not that they wasted their time, for they had plenty of shooting
to do to clear their own immediate front.

Nor was this the only cause of delay; the rear line of the square was
also subject to rushes of the enemy, who lay in ambush till it had
passed, and then dashed upon it. To meet the attack it must halt and
face about, and the rest of the square must halt too, or a gap would be
opened through which the determined foe would rush. Then, again, the
flanks, or side faces of the square, were also attacked. These had to
turn towards the front when the square advanced, not in file, or two
deep, as they stood, because men moving like that must always straggle
out too much, but in fours. Thus, on each forward movement, the right
side of the square formed fours left, the left side of it fours right.
But in this way the men would have their sides towards the surrounding
enemy, and would be helpless. So when attacked they had to halt and
front, thus becoming a line two deep again, facing their foes. But this
required another general halt ti